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The respective squads were announced just hours apart, with taking place on the same evening as Capello's opener against the United States, not to mention the same weekend as a full Super League fixture list. Not really what we need to give our international game the best platform.

It did get me thinking, though. Do our Super League boys get gripped by World Cup football fever?

In a classic case of 'if you can't beat them join them', I decided to spend an evening devoting this week's blog to finding Super League's big World Cup enthusiasts. I thus embarked on a comedy couple of hours firing off texts and calls to several coaches and players to see who was interested in selecting their World Cup winners in South Africa.

With the exception of two big names, it is fair to say most are buzzing about this summer's football extravaganza.

Warrington coach and former Great Britain boss Tony Smith took the prize for response of the night. "I don't give a rats!" was his initial reply, before asking who was competing and settling on Ireland as his tip to land football's coveted 18-carat gold prize!

Leeds Rhinos coach Brian McLennan is, it seems, equally indifferent. Not a football fan, he allowed his son to select Spain or Argentina as his top tips.

Ask the players, though, and they are more than happy for rugby league to live firmly in football's shadow for the next month. "Gotta be Argentina, all the way baby," is the call from Wolves centre Ryan Atkins, one echoed by Rob Burrow. The smallest man in Super League places one of world football's most diminutive playmakers as one of his sporting idols. "I'm going for Argentina, too" the Leeds scrum-half tells me. "I love Messi."

St Helens legend Paul Sculthorpe is firmly behind Maradona's boys, too, but it is who really whet the Super League whistle in my sure-to-be award-winning straw poll.

Crusaders assistant and Wales great Iestyn Harris returns with a resounding tick in the Spanish column while the Crusaders first-team coach Jon Sharp has a word with his son before backing Spain, too, although he admits he fancies England but does not "want to put the mockers" on them.

Further tips for Torres and co to dominate follow from Bradford's Danny Sculthorpe, Wakefield hooker Sam Obst and Castleford's Brett Ferres. also has Spain as his world champions, bemoaning his pick of Nigeria in the Quins sweepstake!

There is misguided Antipodean loyalty from Warrington hooker Michael Monaghan, who insists Australia will win it, while his Wolves team-mate David Solomona and Wakefield's Tevita Leo-Latu refuse to go against New Zealand.

Hardly a resounding vote of confidence for the Three Lions so far, until - an Ireland international lest we forget - finds some home passion. "I'm backing England and Rooney for Golden Boot," says McDermott, another volatile number 10.

Wolves half-back Lee Briers, Wakefield wing Aaron Murphy and Crusaders boss Brian Noble choose England, too, although the latter predicts "Engerland to lose to Brazil in the final". Gareth Thomas, whose cross-code switch I blogged on earlier this year, insists he wants to see an Ivory Coast triumph.

What these players and coaches would give to attract the same worldwide interest and audiences. Such a scenario is a million years away, indeed will never happen, but if we come full circle it reminds us why we need to play these seemingly pointless one-off mid-season internationals, even in the shadow of Fifa's football showpiece.

The only way we can ever imagine asking Rooney, Henry and Cahill about their team's prospects in the Rugby League World Cup is to give our international game as many windows as we can muster.

Finally, my thoughts, like all within rugby league this past week, have been with the family of .